Muhakanizi reshuffles accounting officers

The Ministry of Finance has issued a new list of 256 government accounting officers for the ministries, agencies, embassies and districts.
In the new changes announced in a letter date June 18, by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, four of 23 permanent secretaries will remain in their positions but handover the role of the accounting officer to their undersecretaries.
The Defence Permanent Secretary, Ms Rosette Byengoma, will be replaced by her Undersecretary Edith Buturo, as the new accounting officer while Ms Christine Guwatudde Kintu of the Office of the Prime Minister Permanent Secretary will be replaced by Mr Joel Wanjala.
Ms Byengoma has been one of the longest serving permanent secretaries after she replaced the late Nobel Mayombo in 2007 after his death.
The other undersecretaries who are new accounting officers are Ms Lynette Bridget Bigirwa, the Undersecretary of Internal Affairs and Prisca Boonabantu of Energy and Mineral Development.
Mr Muhakanizi announced 38 foreign service officers, 97 district chief administrative officers and 98 for the agencies and the universities.
Mr Muhakanizi yesterday told Daily Monitor that some accounting officers requested to be excused and concentrate on policy issues of the ministries.
“Mrs Byengoma came here and told me that she wanted to concentrate on the UPDF and policy issues and leave the issues of handling the money. This is the same with Christine because you can be a Permanent Secretary when you are not an accounting officer,” he said.
Mr Muhakanizi said some CAOs would be announced later. “The submission of the eligible accounting officers for the remaining votes will be made as soon as they have been identified,” he said.